A good thread to bumped a couple of more things to say. I think many people just feel comfortable with what they know or knew, it is a shame but dealing with the unknown is always harder for the human being. Yet in that unknown can be many new delights.People can at times be lazy and stick to the common. What I have always found a bit strange[to each one's own] and this has already been commented on by another here on this board why do some people love a score from the 30's and 40's but not of recent vintage and vice versa? A good melody is a good melody from any age, as well as action cues, suspense motifs. Sure they are not exactly alike, no music is, but the composition the purity of the music is. I can only assume that arraignments is the main priority for some not composition.

Which reminds me of a incident I believe it was TED MILLS composer who in the 70's wrote music for both the soul group BLUE MAGIC and pop singer ENGELBERT HUPERDINCK. Both group of listeners wouldn't be caught dead listening to the other singers music even though the composer was the same. Too many it is not about composition but style.

Great topic and questions joan. I would say yes, I do cherry-pick what I read and respond to. I am new here and am not schooled in cues, obscure composers and scores or the plethora of scores that have been released and discussed here since FSM went live. That said, the topics do pull me in if they are familiar to me. BUT, a new composer or new score always gets a peek from me. You will never see me comment on cues. For these, I cover my ears and go la la la la... I have no problem at all with them being discussed, trust me. However, it is like a math problem to me, the English classics nerd.

Topic length does not deter me and I am drawn to the posts of certain members. If I may say, dan the man impresses me as having a quirky and interesting point of view and I seek out his posts. There are other members whose posts I look for as well and it is not because I agree with them but because I respect the depth of knowledge and willingness to put it out there. I have tremendous respect for topic knowledge but I also respect members who wade in to share a recommendation, a compliment or a tongue-in-cheek comment.

Of course I am drawn to the Golden Age composers and always will but am always open to many newer ones as well. I am not a Star Wars, Star Trek genre fan but one of my favorite 2 shows is Big Bang Theory and I live among nerds so these topics also get my attention. The thoroughness of some of the posts blow my mind. Sometimes they even bring But sometimes it brings me "Mal-kom".

I think a good attiude for a newbie here is to have a thick skin, an open sponge-like mind to absorb all the knowledge and recommendations, a respect for those who have come before and a willingness to stick your opinion and knowledge (strong or not) out there and be grateful for a reputable forum like this.

Again, great topic joan. It is topics like this that catch my eye. Thanks

TO HENRY- My friend then I guess you are a doing two things at once person, something that of course with our jobs is a necessity and often more then two things But in leisure I used to at times be that way, as I have gotten older I try to concentrate on one thing at a time. The reason for me anyway, sometimes you just miss those little subtle important things in a movie or song. As just one example where there are many the original HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL-59- VINCENT PRICE, I found something I missed in the movie after seeing it a few times that connected a plot line I was trying to connect.

TO ONYABIRRI- Please say you don't do that. Although maybe that is a good idea? Hundreds of years from now somebody will read the things we were talking about. I think that would be fascinating to future generations.

Yes, a little bit. Although it's the topic itself which is the most crucial.

2. Are you attracted by certain composers' names?

Yes. Although when it comes to my favourite composers (like Williams, Elfman and Goldenthal), I'm more interested in the less-talked about stuff than, say, the hundredth discussion of something STAR WARS-related.

3. Does the length of a new topic attract or repel you?

Depends if the length reflects well-thought arguments and not merely endless ranting. And that there is use of proper paragraphs and language. But yeah -- usually a well-thought-out topic attracts me, especially if it has to do with more philosophical, aesthetic issues.

4. Do certain members attract your interest?

Yes. Yours, for example, Joan.

5. Do certain time periods attract you and others alienate you?

Not really. I like the music and films of all time periods, and in all styles and genres. But I need to have a connection to it somehow. It is no secret that I have the most knowledge and passion about the music and films of the 80's and 90's -- my formative years.

6. Do you like it when certain topics go on and on and on, or over time do your interests diminish?

Again, it depends on the topic and how the discussion goes. If it's constructive and 'art philosophical', I can basically go on forever -- like the one we had a few years ago about the difference between original and rerecorded albums.

I find that if I've discussed the topic over an extended time before, my desire to go into it again (because the topic starter has refused to search for any previous incarnations of it) is limited. Then I'd rather link to the previous discussion, where I invested most of my time and efforts on the issue.

7. Do you enjoy topics that seem rather abstract and philosophical or do you avoid them preferring concrete, specific topics. (I.E. List your 5 favorite Goldsmith scores or 5 favorite westerns.)

I really enjoy abstract, philosophical issues -- especially if they provide something slightly different than what we've discussed before. I don't think they require Ph.D.s in music -- most of us have adjectives at our disposal, and the great thing about film music is that one is able to discuss it in relation to the images without using heavy musical terminology all the time. Or describe the music in laymen terms; nothing wrong with that. Everyone is able to analyze and evaluate.

Some of the other variables that are important for me, personally, I mention in the aforementioned thread.

I cherry-pick far more now than I used to back in the day, when I read almost everything. There are several reasons for this, one of which is that there are less interesting being posted these days, and when I try to create topics that DO interest me once in a while, they hardly get any response. I feel I'm a bit "out-of-synch" in relation to what are popular topics these days.

TO ONYABIRRI- Please say you don't do that. Although maybe that is a good idea? Hundreds of years from now somebody will read the things we were talking about. I think that would be fascinating to future generations.

From what I've heard, the U.S Library Of Congress is archiving every post on this message board...

LOL, Thomas, and maybe even true. I wasn't sure where OnyaBirri was going with his "thread" comment. I do know people like our "Howard" have archived some of our very earliest discussions which were priceless treasures of communication for many of us.

Thor, thanks for the "Joan" comment. We not too far apart in answers. Of course, you would like the 80's and 90's, but it is a good thing that you go back to past music (Golden) and forward to present music.

LOL, Thomas, and maybe even true. I wasn't sure where OnyaBirri was going with his "thread" comment. I do know people like our "Howard" have archived some of our very earliest discussions which were priceless treasures of communication for many of us.

I actually did read that about Twitter before, Joan. Apparently every tweet on there IS being archived.

Absolutely. Just as newspaper headlines were supposed to capture the essence of the story, the thread title must capsulize what the thread is about.

2. Are you attracted by certain composers' names?

Yes.

3. Does the length of a new topic attract or repel you?

If the composer's name, film's title or thread title are intriguing, it doesn't matter.

4. Do certain members attract your interest?

Always.

5. Do certain time periods attract you and others alienate you?

I'm mostly disinterested in anything 1980s and beyond except for certain titles or composers. That's because the nature of "music" has changed in films to a point that I find the so-called music more like droning wallpaper than anything else.

6. Do you like it when certain topics go on and on and on, or over time do your interests diminish?

What I dislike is that some folks believe an old discussion should be revived from the previous thread even if that thread was from several years ago. I disagree. If you have already had your say in a thread, you don't need to go into the new thread and carp about it. People are always changing their minds, their attitudes, about film music. I don't believe in stifling discussion. Some older threads are much too long to wade through.

7. Do you enjoy topics that seem rather abstract and philosophical or do you avoid them preferring concrete, specific topics. (I.E. List your 5 favorite Goldsmith scores or 5 favorite westerns.)

I like subjective topics. Everyone here voices an opinion. I like the topics that force you to think and evaluate your own tastes.